


Searching for Constellations

by Gette



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Aristocracy, Astronomy, Childhood Trauma, Death Eaters, Devotion, Dysfunctional Family, F/M, Family Dynamics, Happy Ending, True Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:08:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26431669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gette/pseuds/Gette
Summary: May of 1972 is a turbulent time for the Black family. Regulus has just finished his first year at Hogwarts, Sirius is being beaten for opposing the new death eater movement, Narcissa is recently engaged to Lucius, and Bellatrix is becoming the first female death eater. However, it is when Andromeda goes missing that Regulus begins to wonder what it means to be part of a constellation.Each chapter is told by a different Black family member as more information comes to light about Andromeda's disappearance.
Relationships: Andromeda Black Tonks/Ted Tonks, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	1. Regulus- The Kingly Star

Chapter 1: Regulus Black

Regulus: a bright start in the Leo constellation that is often eclipsed by asteroids and planets. Those fond of stars, often refer to it as the kingly star.

Regulus A. Black was named after a star. Of course, that was the way of things. Small, quiet, and studious, it was one of the things that twelve year old Regulus liked the most about himself. He was happy to share with anyone the naming conventions of the most ancient and noble house of Black. Unlike his brother and cousins, he enjoyed astronomy and wanted so very much to impress his parents with his knowledge of the skies. Constellations, the linking of stars into recognizable shapes, fascinated him. Regulus loved thinking about how his star in the sky was similar to the way he was connected in the greater constellation of his wealthy pure blood family. His parents were quite happy with him after his first year of Hogwarts. Not that they had ever been unhappy with him. Regulus knew that he had long been the favorite. He was after all the kingly star and kings were supposed to be cherished as long as they understood their place within their solar system. Sirius didn’t know his place or for that matter care about the symbolism of family constellations.

This year had been a particularly difficult year for his brother and Regulus tried not to think of the belting his father had given Sirius an hour ago when they arrived home. If he listened carefully, he could hear Sirius crying a room over. The sound of stilted sniffles came under the large crack under the wooden door to the hallway. If this was Hogwarts, Sirius would have silenced his room, such was his want for privacy to protect his enormous sense of pride. 

Sirius and his gang of friends had received many detentions in their fourth year but the detentions weren’t really what had caused the lashing. He probably would have just been yelled at if his parents had missed his muttered comment at Kings Cross.

On the platform, Regulus and Sirius had grabbed their trunks and walked over to their parents, Orion and Walburga. Walburga had her face twisted in derision as she looked over the students streaming from the train on platform 9 ¾. It was like she was searching the crowd for those unworthy to be near her sons. Her purple lips were pursed and she clutched her orange purse closer to her as though worried that a muggleborn might show up at any moment and steel her wealth. Her black eyes were beady and her dark hair was pinned back tight. Regulus looked to the ground and hoped she wouldn’t be too embarrassing. She hated those of impure blood and constantly pressured her husband, Orion, to use his role in the Wizengamot to push new restrictions against muggleborns. Regulus and Sirius had just reached her when her eyes lightened up. Regulus let a breath release as a kind muggleborn boy George Everett, walked by his mother without reaching her notice. It wasn’t that Regulus liked muggleborns, he didn’t. He just didn’t want his parents to harm anyone. 

“Reggie, my son” Walberga had crooned pulling him into her large bosom. The scent of cinnamon and something just as pungent greeted Regulus and he quickly hugged her back before taking a step back.

“Sirius,” she said, nodding at her older son. She didn’t offer him a hug and her smile looked forced. Sirius didn’t force himself to smile. 

“Mother” sirius intoned looking bored and unimpressed. His eyes flicked to the strange way that she was holding her bag. 

“Do you expect a thief?” he muttered, rolling his eyes.

Walburga snarled “There are dirty thieves all over this god forsaken train station Sirius, it would do you some good to remember that.”

“Whatever” Sirius grumbled.

Orion frowned at his son and snarled “Watch your tone or you will regret it Sirius.” 

Their father, Orion, a short but commanding man in a smart brown suit, nodded with a stilted and fake smile to both boys. He knew that they were on full show and that a member of the wizengamot must be seen to be a family man. Sirius rolled his eyes as Regulus started telling his parents about his first year. 

Walburga followed along smiling at her pride and joy until her eyes caught on Narcissa. 

“Narcissa, darling” Walberga called as Narcissa walked towards them wearing a light blue dress that blew around her calves. She paused and set don her trunk, casting a quick lightening spell over it. Her blond hair whipped around her shoulders and she smiled at them with a true smile. She buttoned the middle button on her navy cardigan and picked up her feather light trunk and began to come their way. Her parents, Cygnus and Druella, couldn't be bothered to meet her at the station now that she had passed her apparating exams. From the look of absolute content on her face, it didn’t seem like she minded although it could be hard to tell what Narcissa was truly thinking. Similar to Regulus, she had very few true friends. Unlike Regulus, she was well liked in school and had an enamored older boyfriend of pristine lineage. Regulus wasn't sure if he like Lucius or not. He had seemed rather smug the couple of times that he had seen him with Narcissa at Christmas but he did seem to care for Narcissa and Regulus assumed that was probably the most important part of a relationship.

His cousin, Narcissa had just finished her final year of Hogwarts. She was eighteen now and was the perfect pureblood daughter. She was kind, patient, fashionable and new all of the intricate social details needed to thrive in Pureblood society. Having had no daughters herself, Walburga had always been rather fond of her youngest niece and it was rare for Walburga to be truly fond of anyone. 

By the time Narcissa was only a few meters away from her aunt, uncle and cousins, another blonde head, had appeared to greet her. Regulus had watched with his family as the unflappable, 20 year old, heir to the Malfoy fortune knelt in front of her and proposed. 

Regulus could hear Lucius as his voice wavered with emotion. “Narcissa, you are the love of my life. Since the moment I met you, I knew that you would make a wonderful wife. Would you do me the honor of becoming Mrs. Malfoy”. The words had floated through the air and everyone held their breath as Narcissa’s face beamed and she nodded repeatedly. 

The station clapped and cheered as Narcissa threw herself into his arms with a kiss. Walburga wiped a tear from her eye and Orion looked at his wife as though that act was an annoying and unnecessary display of sentiment.

“Fucking death eater” Sirius had muttered under his breath as he stared at Lucius who was now kissing Narcissa’s knuckles repeatedly.. Regulus had gasped and looked over to see if his parents had heard. They had heard and Regulus felt his heart drop with fear for what was to happen. Orion Black grabbed his oldest son’s hair and apparated away with hate fueling his eyes. Narcissa’s eyes ran over to them in alarm as Walburga grabbed Regulus’ hand and apparated him home. Mentioning the death eaters in public was a huge taboo and saying anything against them was the worst type of offense that a Black could commit. Regulus felt sick.

Upon arriving at home, Regulus had tried to clear his mind as his brother was beaten. Sirius had started crying and eventually their mother had stepped in and ordered Sirius to his room to write a letter of apology to Nacissa and Lucius. Regulus shook his head and tried to bury that memory deep in his mind. He set his Transfiguration for beginners textbook in front of the Herbology 101 textbook on the bookshelf in his dark green bedroom. His curtains were open and May air mixed with sunlight seemed at odds with the sadness he was feeling. He ran his fingers down the green cover and focused on the frayed edges of the binding. One breath, two breaths, three breaths. Regulus looked at the astronomy book peeking out of his trunk. This particular book he had bought on his own Regulus had managed to finish his first year without any detentions or negative commons from anyone. 

Regulus knelt down and finished putting his Hogwarts textbooks back on his dark bookshelves. He pushed his potions book to the back and shook his head. It was summer, he didn’t need to worry about the fact that the reason no one had anything negative to say about him was because he hadn’t made any friends at Hogwarts. His brother had shunned him for landing in Slytherin and he had decided it would be best to stay quiet and keep his head down in his own house. The students in Slytherin with him had teased him for his small stature. Regulus pushed the trunk away and sat on the edge of his plush bed. Regulus didn’t want to think about astronomy right now. He pulled a sketchpad out from the drawer on his bedside table and began to draw.  
Regulus concentrated for the next several hours as he tried to draw out the general layout of Hogwarts. Sirius was always trying to map it out and Regulus thought that if he could figure it out, maybe it would cheer up his brother without actually having to talk to him. His hand grew tired as he tried to make sure the scaling was right on the astronomy tower. It was now almost dinner and he knew he would be expected to dress for it.

Sighing, Regulus changed into a nice set of Navy robes and walked downstairs. Sirius came down dressed in black robes and with a slight limp. His face was red and set into a hard line. His eyes were red and puffy. They were the first ones to the dining room so Regulus chanced a conversation with Sirius.

“Sirius, are you okay?” Regulus asked as he pretended to adjust his new silver and green cufflinks. A gift for pleasing his parents with his sorting.

“Fuck off” Sirius growled. “If you cared you would have said something. No, I’m sure you are just like the rest of our family. Ready to be the perfect pureblood son”. 

“We have a good family.” Regulus countered half-heartedly as their house elf Kreacher entered the dining room with scorch marks on his hands.

Sirius looked at the house elf and then looked at his younger brother and sighed ignoring him.

Dinner was a quiet affair as no one wanted to speak too much after the scene with Sirius. Regulus tried to remain invisible as his parents shot disappointed looks at Sirius between mouthfuls of a fancy french dish that his aunt Druella had recommended. The chicken was almost finished from Regulus’ plate and he felt himself in a rare position where he hoped that there wasn’t any desert. He didn’t know how much longer he could stand the oppressive silence of his family. He had been homesick most of the year and had wanted nothing more than to be back at Grimmauld Place with his family but so far, everything had gone wrong. His home no longer felt like the haven he remembered.

“Mother, I have a headache, may I excuse myself? Regulus asked, looking at Walburga across the table.

Sirius snorted.

Walburga looked as though she was going to admonish Sirius for making a noise at the table when the whooshing noise of the floo in the next room began.

Orion stood up and dropped his fork with a clatter. “Who could that be on the first night back?” he asked with concern.

“I don’t know” Walburga replied nervously.  
She looked at the poor state of her eldest son and was about to send him to his room so that whoever had just flooed unannounced would not see him and make a report of maltreatment against them but the guest ran into the room quicker than she could get the words out.

Bellatrix ran into the room in a purple evening robe with her black curls falling loose from an outrageous updo. 

Regulus caught his breath at the look on her face. It was one he had never seen her wear before. His cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, was terrified.

“Come quick” she panted as tears sprang into her eyes. “Andromeda is missing!”


	2. Ch. 2: Bellatrix- The Third Brightest Star of Orion

Ch 2: Bellatrix Lestrange (nee Black)

Bellatrix: A large blue star over eight times the mass of the earth’s sun. Bellatrix is best known as the third brightest star in the constellation of Orion.

At twenty-two, Bellatrix was a newly married wife and an accomplished duelist. Her parents, Druella and Cygnus Black were most proud of the fact that she had successfully married into the pure blood lestrange line but for Bellatrix it was not enough. She had ambitions grander than marriage. Ambitions grounded in her place within the Black family.

“Keep up and don’t look him directly in the eyes unless he speaks to you by name” her husband whispered as they walked along the dark corridor following Corbin Yaxley deeper into the Yaxley estate. 

Bellatrix nodded, her heart pounding. She would meet him, the powerful Lord Voldemort. The sound of chatter met her ears as they turned the corner into a large dining room with a large crystal chandelier hanging above a mahogany table. A handful of young men dressed in black robes stood around the dining room sipping on wine and a clear beverage that Bellatrix wasn’t familiar with. Most of the faces were familiar to her. She drank in the sight of Parkinson, Nott, Crabbe, McNair, and Prescott as they studied her with disapproving stares. This wasn’t a typical Death Eater meeting, it was less formal, and thus Corbin had thought that this would be the most appropriate time to introduce Bellatrix and Rabastan to the Dark Lord. It was after all his own property that this little dinner was taking place at and his guests would only stay for introductions.

The old Knights of Walpurgis, a secretive dark arts centered male only pure blood society led by Lord Voldemort had recently begun to be known by a new name rooted in fear. The term Death Eater had seemed ridiculous the first time Bellatrix had heard it. She remembered sitting on Andromeda’s bed with Narcissa and laughing at the ridiculous name in the Daily Narcissa upon hearing the term had scrunched up her nose and thought it was morbid. What repulsed Narcissa in the name had just served to increase Bellatrix’s curiosity leading her to insist on an invitation to the event. Corbin did owe her after all. She had helped him invent the design for the new “Morsmordre” spell. She was sure that he had taken full praise for the entire project with the Dark Lord. Yes, the sexism of this system was ingrained and painful and she was going to put an end to it. At least she was going to put a dent in it. 

Bellatrix pulled her black robe around herself tightly and pushed her dark curls out of her face. Upon her entrance into the room, the men inside grew silent. 

“Who is this Yaxley?” a man in his 40’s with dark hair said sweeping forward. It was the handsome Tom Riddle, now known as Lord Voldemort. 

Bellatrix felt her breath catch with excitement and stared at the rose marble floor.

“My Lord, this is Rodoulphus Lestrange and his wife Bellatrix Lestrange of the Black family. They are interested in joining our new crusade. Mrs. Lestrange is particularly gifted in the Dark Arts”.

“Is that so…” Lord Voldemort murmured.

“Look at me” he commanded. 

Bellatrix and Rodulphus both looked up right away and Rodulphus stepped forward into a deep bow. “My Lord, I would be honored to serve you” he gasped, his hands trembling with excitement.

“Excellent!” Lord Voldemort purred without looking at Rudolphus. His eyes were zeroed in on Bellatrix as she stood staring at him waiting to see if she would be dismissed.

“Women aren’t allowed in the Knights of Walpurgis” Walden McNair sneered pushing his stringy hair back over his face as he downed his third glass of a clear liquid that looked suspiciously like alcohol.

“Crucio” Voldemort whispered with his wand trained on McNair. McNair fell to the floor and the contents of his beverage spilled out around him as the glass shattered on the marble as he screamed in pain on the floor. 

The torture only lasted seconds but Bellatrix could sense the power coming off the man in front of her. 

Lord Voldemort turned back to her and said, I am Lord Voldemort, the most powerful man in Wizarding Europe and I make the decisions for the Death Eaters. Perhaps you know us as the Knights of Walpurgis? What I say goes and no one is to question me.”

Lord Voldemort kept his eyes trained on Bellatrix and asked “Why would a beautiful young woman like you wish to join my followers?”

“We wish to rid the world of mudblood scum and want to follow you as you are the most talented leader that the wizarding world has ever seen” Rudolphus answered for her. His palms were sweaty with anticipation and Bellatrix watched the man she tolerated, swipe his hands back and forth on the front of his robes like a commoner, trying to remove the moisture there.

He always interrupted her. The nerve of men.

As if reading her thoughts, Lord Voldemort who’s eyes hadn’t strayed from Bellatrix’s during her husband’s proclamation stated cooly, “And what of you Bellatrix Lestrange? Why would you join my army of men?”

“I am from the ancient and noble pure blood house of black and married into the pure blood house of Lestrange. As a wife, not much is expected of me other than to produce an heir to carry on the pureblood lines but I wish for something more. I am skilled in the Dark Arts and would like to learn all that I can from you and your knights so that I can defend my world against the vile mudbloods that threaten to contaminate the things I hold dear” Bellatrix recited her planned speech.

Lord Voldemort laughed, a cold cracking sound that jolted his followers to attention.

His glance now panned from Bellatrix to Rudolphus as he proclaimed with a toothy smile, “ You may join on a probationary period”.

Honor swept through Bellatrix. She had never felt so validated. Finally she would be able to learn the full ways of the Dark Arts and be taken seriously despite her gender.

“Thank you My Lord, I won’t let you down.” Bellatrix gasped and bowed to the floor, her curls falling out of her hood and the ends touching the marble. 

“No you won’t, I don’t give second chances here. If you are able to each recruit a new member in the next month, I will honor you by bestowing on you both the dark mark. If you fail, I won’t be so kind.” Lord Voldemort said dismissing them.

With that Corbin bowed and pulled on Bellatrix’s arm leading her out of the room and away from the party as Rodulphus followed.

Upon leaving Yaxley Estate, Bellatrix asked Rodulphus if he would escort her to her parents home to visit with her sisters. With a nod, the two were in the parlor of Bellatrix’s childhood home.

\---

“Flip” Bellatrix demanded into the air of the abandoned entryway as she unclasped her dark outer cloak to reveal her best black and purple robe. Rodulphus too, took off his outer traveling cloak. His hands still trembled in excitement over their probationary status as fledgeling death eaters.

A round house elf appeared out of thin air in front of them.

“Mistress Bellatrix” Flip said quickly as he bowed. “Mister Lestrange” he repeated bowing again. “How can I assist …” he started before being cut off by Bellatrix.

“Enough. Take our cloaks and show us to the family.” 

Flip collected the cloaks and motioned for them to follow him through the pale pink corridor of her childhood. Golden light fixtures and ornate portraits lined the hallway.

“They are in the courtyard for dinner” The elf squeaked quickly as they took an unexpected turn towards the middle of the house and away from the formal dining room.

“The courtyard? Are we not to have a welcome home dinner in the dining room for Narcissa’s return from Hogwarts?” Rodulphus asked the elf, his brow quirked.

Flip started to respond when Bellatrix cut him off. “Never ask house elf's questions that require interpretation of our customs. They are beneath their comprehension and we should not lower ourselves by asking things of them. We shall find out soon enough!” she stated with contempt fixing the back of the elf a look that flip was fortunate enough not to see.

“Yes of course you are right dear” Rodulphus responded placatingly. He placed a hand on her arm as they reached the door to the courtyard. Bellatrix shook it off with an inward shutter. Her husband was not someone she enjoyed the touch of. He was too soft, too careful. He treated her as though she was a thing that could break or a thing that must be tamed. 

Then again she thought, tonight she had let her accompany him to the Dark Lord. Perhaps he wasn’t so bad. She reached out and linked her arm in his. Rudulphus looked surprised but as they walked into the courtyard he let himself sink into the comfort of the touch. 

It was the last day in May and one of the earliest dates that Hogwarts had let students out in recent years. The wind carried with it the smell of lilacs and other shrubbery that Bellatrix had always felt below her notice. 

In the middle of the courtyard was an extravagant white table and white chairs with a large floral arrangement on the table. Spring blooms of red, purple, green, orange and yellow all were artfully arranged to maximum effect. It was then that Bellatrix saw the one person that could have ever convinced Druella and Cygnus to dine outside running to her.

Narcissa. Her darling little sister ran in a very unladylike manner into Bellatrix’s arms. As she hugged her sister, Bellatrix could not help but see the bloom of blush on her sister's cheeks.

“What is going on?” Bellatrix demanded of her sister. Her demand however was lessened by her smile and Narcissa looked at her with mischief in her eyes.

Lucius Malfoy stepped forward, his face split into a smile that looked as though he had all of the riches in the world that a man could wish for. 

“Darling Bellatrix, I am engaged to Lucius!” Narcissa proclaimed as she pulled back and tilted her hand forward so Bellatrix could see a large diamond with emeralds set into the goblin silver band.

“Oh what great news!” Bellatrix responded although part of her wished that her sister had ambitions beyond matrimony. It was impossible for Bellatrix to do anything other than congratulate her sister though as she knew that Lucius Malfoy, now 20, Andromeda’s age, and recently orphaned was the sole heir of the greatest fortune any pure blood family in Europe commanded.

It was a great honor to her parents to have Narcissa and Lucius marry so well and to marry for love was a unique thing in their social circle. Yes, both Lucius and Narcissa had won a prize in their own ways.

Bellatrix nodded at Lucius and congratulated him as well. Rudulphus parroted her words and the quartet walked to the table in the middle of the courtyard.  
“Bella. It’s good to see you.” Andromeda said as she nodded with a smile from beside their parents. Her pink robes sparkled but her eyes did not. This happy occasion was obviously less happy for her sister. Interesting, Bellatrix thought. Perhaps she too is contemplating the ways in which Narcissa easily fell into the pure blood stereotype. Andromeda had never quite fit in, she was a sensitive young woman and in Hogwarts had been exceptionally gifted in Transfiguration. Upon graduating she had tried to go to a school to further her training but their father Cygnus had been repulsed and insisted she start courting. Andromeda had since shot down every match that had been proposed and their parents were getting fed up with her lack of romantic interests.

“It’s good to see you too Andromeda!” Bellatrix grinned at her middle sister. 

As they all sat down to eat, the discussion focused on Narcissa and Lucius as they talked about all of their wedding ideas. Bellatrix let herself tune out the majority of the discussion as she thought about who she could recruit to join the Dark Lord. As she watched the blonde haired aristocrat at the end of the table stare in rapture at her sister, she wondered at the fact that Lucius Malfoy hadn’t joined the Death Eaters at Hogwarts. He was a prideful man and had always spoken freely about the merits of pure blood society.

“Rudolphus, your brother is single, yes?” Bellatrix heard her mother ask her husband.

“Yes he is, Rabastan is currently looking for a wife” Rudulphus replied, setting his fork down.

Andromeda froze across the table. She daintily wiped her lips with her white cloth napkin before setting it back on her lap.

“Would he be interested in marrying Andromeda? We can provide a heavy dowry and she is of fine pureblood stock, is she not?” Druella responded. Bellatrix looked to Rudolphus, Rabastan was not often seen as a catch. He was quite skilled in the cruciatus curse but other than that Bellatrix knew very little despite being in Rabastan’s year at Hogwarts.

“Of course, I am sure he would be honored to accept Andromeda's hand in marriage. I can draw up the contracts tomorrow.” Rudulphus responded.

Narcissa looked quite pale as she studied Andromeda. Andromeda looked sick and was staring resolutely at her salmon. 

“Well then, it’s settled!” Cygnus boomed. “The Black family shall have two weddings this summer.”

“No.” Andromeda muttered.

“What did you say? Cygnus barked pulling on his brown ascot as though doing so would make more room for his meaty neck.

“I said no. I don’t agree. I don’t love him” Andromeda said resolutely as a tear fell from her eye.

“I am sure you will grow to love him” Lucius supplied, looking as though he felt that he must offer some condolences.

“Go to your room, immediately” Druella ordered her face red as she looked at Andromeda. Bellatrix knew that Andromeda’s lack of a marriage by twenty was a huge source of embarrassment for her.

Bellatrix watched as Andromeda ran from the room and back into the house. The table was quiet and it took quite a few minutes for the conversation to pick back up.

An hour later, the family was about to start in on desert after what must have been 8 courses. Bellatrix excused herself to use the loo and headed into the house. After using the loo, she walked to Andromeda’s room and knocked. 

There was no answer, so she rapped again.

“Andromeda, it’s Bella. Let me in this instant!” Bella called. 

Silence greeted her and the door as per Andromeda’s usual practice was locked.

Blowing out a breath, Bella pulled her wand out and whispered “Alohomora” in annoyance.

The white door opened and Bellatrix peered inside.

The normally tidy and beautiful room was a mess. Clothes were strewn about the canopied purple comforter and her closet was ajar. The bookshelves looked like they had been ransacked. Andromeda was nowhere to be found. 

“Andromeda!” Bellatrix screamed realizing that something was very wrong. She ran to the ensuite bathroom and pulled open the door. 

This room was immaculate except for a note on a piece of white scroll paper spellotaped to the mirror. 

Bellatrix’s heart hammered as she read the note:

“By the time you read this, I will be gone. I do not belong with this family and I will not marry someone I do not love in order to remain in it. Please do not search for me or worry. -Andromeda”

Bellatrix screamed and grabbed the note. She looked in the closet one more time just in case Andromeda was to jump out and yell surprise but she found nothing. Instead her heart plummeted further as she realized that Andromeda’s favorite yellow trunk that she had bought in the south of France last year, was missing too. 

“What’s wrong?! Why are you yelling?” A worried Narcissa said as she ran to the doorway of Andromeda’s room.

Upon seeing the state of the room, she gasped “Did she run away, Bella?”

Bellatrix gave her the note. “Go and get Rudolphus, Mother, Father and Lucius” to start searching for her around the estate! I will go and alert Grimmauld Place! If we are lucky, she may just have decided to take a break and spend time with Aunt Walburga! They shouldn’t have pressured her like that at the table. We know how sensitive she is!” she yelled as she left Narcissa behind in the ransacked room.

Bellatrix knew that it was unlikely that anyone would seek out Aunt Walburga’s company but she thought she would check. Andromeda had always doted on little Sirius and Regulus.

With that thought, Bellatrix started to cry as she threw the floo powder down. “Grimmauld Place” she screamed, and like that she landed at the other Black residence.


	3. Sirius Black- The Dog Star

Ch. 3: Sirius Black

Sirius: A white and blue star twenty five the size of the sun. Sirius is also called Alpha Canis Majoris which is known in the english language as the Dog Star. If you look up into the sky on a dull night, Sirius is one of the brightest in the night sky.

The anger of his parents had turned away from him and morphed into a frenzied energy focused on helping to find his cousin Andromeda. The past night had been full of tears and anger as the entire extended family scoured the area for Andromeda. 

“How could she do this to us? How could she be so selfish as to run away!” his aunt Druella had sobbed.

Bellatrix and Narcissa had been sent out to visit Andromeda’s friend’s to see if she was with them. She wasn’t to be found at any of the three homes that they had visited. All were pureblood homes. Sirius had to cough to hide a laugh as Narcissa and Bellatrix listed off the three homes they had visited. Yes Adele Bulstrode, Alice Fortescue and William McNair had all at one time been friends with Andromeda but Alice was the only one that Sirius had ever heard Andromeda really talk about. Aside from that, they were kidding themselves if they thought Andromeda only had three friends. Alice Fortescue had “looked shocked and worried for her friend” according to Narcissa and looked like “she was hiding something” according to Bellatrix. 

Walburga had quickly turned to Druella and Orion and said that she believed Narcissa and that the Fortescues were good pureblood people and would have surely turned Andromeda right back to her family. 

Sirius wanted to laugh, the fortescues didn’t care about pure blood status as long as it didn’t harm their business. They were treating her like a lost dog and not a witch who had left on her own volition and did not want to be found. Why in the world would she write a note like that and hide nearby or at a known friend's house? Andromeda was smart and she would try her hardest to stay hidden and avoid marrying that vile Rabastan Lestrange. Andromeda deserved so much better. 

A pang of envy at her bravery pulsed through him. She had been a Slytherin and yet she had been brave enough to run away. Why couldn’t he manage it? Images of the Potter Residence swam in his head, a beacon of the type of family he could imagine himself running away to live with. He shook his head, it wouldn’t work. His family knew that James Potter was his best friend. They would search for him there first, if of course they searched for him at all. 

He rubbed his back where his father's belt had created a series of welts. His father Orion always punished Sirius the muggle way as though to show Sirius how barbaric muggles could be. Everytime it happened, Sirius felt more and more sure that his family was on the wrong side of history. That all of the pure blood nonsense that they spouted was just that, absolute nonsense. 

In his first year she had been Head Girl. When the sorting hat placed him in Gryffindor he felt as though he was a grave disappointment. He had looked over at the Slytherin table to see Andromeda’s face smiling back at him. She nodded and didn’t look like the world was ending. To her left, a fourteen year old Narcissa looked worried. Sirius smiled back at them, straightened his back and chose to be proud in his new house. The rest was history. He had made such great friends in Gryffindor. People who helped him challenge his family beliefs. By the time he returned to Grimmauld place for Christmas break that first year, he was already markedly different from the rest of his family. 

He had always looked up to Andromeda. She was smart and universally kind to everyone she met. She was a Slytherin like the rest of the family but she had actual friends in all of the houses. In her final year, Sirius had even seen her kiss a hufflepuff in an abandoned corridor. It was a quick kiss, not even a snog before he saw Andromeda pull away in shock, whisper she was sorry to the Hufflepuff with messy brown hair and run down the hallway. The boy had stood in the hallway thinking he was alone and touched his lips with a smile. Soon after, Sirius had fled down the hallway away from where they had stood before the Hufflepuff realized that they hadn’t been alone. When he returned back to the Gryffindor common room he had started to wonder if the boy was a half-blood or a muggle born. It was well known that there were very few purebloods ever sorted into hufflepuff. The idea that she could be going against the family traditions made him feel less alone. He decided to never mention what he had seen to anyone. He would protect her secret from their blood purist family. Later he had figured out the boy's name as Sirius watched him fly through the sky in a yellow and black jersey. His name was Ted Tonks and he was indeed a muggleborn. His cousin was a secret rebel and he could be one too.

Sirius sat down in a chair at his aunt and uncle’s home after a late breakfast with Regulus in the informal dining room at the old “kid” table that they were often forced to sit at during Christmas meals. They had spent the night at Andromeda’s home after a late night of sitting around and panicking, intermixed with tears from Sirius’ cousins. 

Now, it was just the youngest in the sitting room right now and Sirius was fine with that. Regulus followed him and sat in an armchair by the fireplace with a tattered book Bellatrix had borrowed him. Some sort of book about constellations. Nonsense. Absolute nonsense. 

“What?” Regulus asked Sirius sensing his stare. His wide eyes searching Sirius and the book clutched to his wiry frame like a lifeline.

“I was just thinking about how much of a dork you are, reading astronomy books at a time like this” Sirius said, his words dripping lazily out of his mouth as he tried to show his brother that books like those wouldn’t serve him well in making friends.

Regulus frowned and Narcissa looked over at them both with red eyes rimmed with exhaustion.

“Leave him alone Sirius, Regulus keep up your studies” she said looking between the two dark haired boys. “Andromeda was always so studious,” she said softly.

“She hasn’t passed away Cissa, she’s just run away. There’s a difference” Sirius said laughing.

“Was she…” Regulus started and then stopped looking at his feel and then back at Sirius.

“Was she what, Reggie?” Narcissa asked kindly. Ink marks visible on her right hand as she smoothed out her blonde hair and pulled it back into a ponytail. 

“Was she beaten a lot? Is that why she ran away? Would Aunt Druella and Uncle Cygnus hurt her if she didn’t marry Rabastan?” Regulus whispered. His words floating between the three of them until Sirius felt the aftershocks of it cascade into him like the belt against his skin. Regulus was treading on dangerous waters but he was asking the question Sirius had felt himself too afraid to ask.  
Narcissa’s already pale face lost all of it’s coloring and she looked as though she was going to be sick. She had always been more adverse to violence than Bellatrix had. 

“Of course not, Reggie. Mum and Dad would never hurt any of us, no matter what!” she said as she gulped. “No matter what.” she repeated to herself.

Sirius felt his mouth turn dry and his eyes started to tear at the corners. Narcissa of course knew only love. That’s what a family should provide- unconditional love. Regulus didn’t know that. He was only just starting to wake up to the fact that Orion and Walburga were different. They wanted to control the family above all else. Druella and Cygnus, although tough, truly loved all three daughters.

“That’s enough Regulus,” Sirius said after he wiped a tear away and glanced at the fire licking the stones in the fireplace.

“Sorry” Regulus mumbled.

Sirius glanced quickly at Narcissa to see if she was back to focusing on her writing. She was not. Narcissa’s knowing eyes on him from the desk in the corner where she had been steadily writing letters to Andromeda begging for her return and sending them out with her barn owl Zoe. So far Zoe had left with no responses. Narcissa put her quill back in the ink pot and crossed the room to sit on the settee near Sirius. 

She smoothed her dark brown dress and it looked as though she was already in mourning. She had aged so much in a day from the Narcissa he had seen at the station. Lucius had gone back to Malfoy Manor to get some sleep and would be back soon as it was nearly 10:00 AM the next day. Bellatrix had disappeared a couple of hours ago and had not returned. The adults were in the lounge.

“Sirius...has my aunt and uncle ever hurt you? Although I don’t appreciate what you said about Lucius, I was quite worried about the way Uncle Cygnus grabbed you by your hair from the station” she said pausing and sitting on the ottoman between the two boys. 

“No.” Sirius said, his heart pounding. He didn’t know why but he felt like he couldn’t say anything.

“He’s lying! Our parents beat him so bad every year!” Regulus cried indignantly. Sirius looked at his little brother and saw him sitting there in his green sweater, the perfect Slytherin boy. Everything Sirius was not. He turned towards his cousin, the perfect Slytherin girl. How could they understand. 

He ran. His heart beating wildly as his feet climbed the stairs and rounded a corner. The hallway lights were blurry by the time he reached another corner. He swiped his arm across his eyes to soak up the tears pooling there as he entered Andromeda’s room. Of course she wasn’t there. She was gone. She had left him behind in hostile territory. How could she? Sirius thought crying into the pillows she had left behind.

“Sirius” a voice whispered as he felt the bed dip. Narcissa had followed him up here. Why had she done that? 

A hiccuping sound and a sob sounded as Sirius realized she was crying. “Regulus said to check your back. Can I heal it?” she cried. 

Without looking at her, Sirius nodded into his pillow and she pulled up the back of his purple sweater to reveal the scars he tried so desperately to hide.

She gasped. “I am so sorry Sirius. They should have never done this.” 

A floorboard near the door creaked and then a young man with a strong voice whispered “What’s going on, Cissa?”

Sirius felt his breath catch as he recognized the voice. Lucius Malfoy was looking at his beaten back. “Oh Lucius!” Narcissa cried. 

“Come in and shut the door!” she cried. He must have done as she said because a moment later, Narcissa whispered “Silencio” sealing their conversation off from the rest of the family home.

“Lucius, my aunt and uncle have been beating him. Remember what he said at the station? They beat him for it. They beat him like a muggle!” she gasped, choking on her tears.

Sirius tried to pull his shirt back down. He wanted to disappear.

“Salvia Hexia, Episky, Vulnera Sanetur, Frigus Pax” Lucius whispered pulling the shirt further up. 

With each spell Sirius felt his skin knitting together, healing, a broken bone mending and then a cooling sensation calming his back. 

Sirius sat up and turned around to face Lucius’ steely gaze and Narcissa’s recently renewed tears.

“Aren’t you friends with the Potter Kid?” Lucius asked, face unreadable.

Sirius looked at Narcissa wondering if this was a trap. She nodded encouraging him to tell the truth.

“Yes, James Potter is my best friend”.

“Have your parent’s ever hurt Regulus?” Lucius asked.

“No, he’s the perfect one” Sirius bit out.

Lucius nodded and left the room. Narcissa and Sirius sat in silence for a few minutes.

“It’s going to be okay. Lucius knows about this kind of thing. We will try and help you”.

“Isn’t he a death eater?” Sirius spat feeling vile in his throat.

“No, he is the man I love. Please stop saying such things. Not all death eaters are bad people they just believe strongly in preserving pureblood life” Narcissa responded looking him in the eyes. If she was lying, she was putting on a good show of it.

Sirius looked up at her to argue but couldn’t do it. He was too exhausted and he could sense she was too. They let the silence overtake them again.

Half an hour later Lucius returned “Sirius, the Potter’s have invited you to spend the summer with them. The night bus can bring you there right now. Your parents have agreed to let you spend the summer away so they can focus on finding your cousin”.

An hour later, Sirius was at the Potter’s. He felt like he could breathe again. 

"Padfoot, it's good to see you!" James yelled as he pulled him into a brotherly hug.

James Potter was his true family. He was home.


End file.
